Folding umbrella.



PATENTED DEC. 25, 1906.

R. O. BRETSHER. FOLDING UMBRELLA.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 28, 1906.

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FOLDING UMBRELLA. v

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 25, 1906.

Application filed February 28,1906. Serial No. 303.498.

To all whmn it may concern:

Be it known that I, RUDOLPH C. BRET- SHER, a citizen of the Republic ofSwitzerland, residing at l/Vilkinsburg, in the county of Allegheny andState of Pennnsylvania, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Folding Umbrellas, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawmgs.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements inumbrellas.

The invention has for its primary object to provide a folding orcollapsible umbrella which can be folded into a comparatively smallspace and conveniently carried or packed away.

Another object of this invention is to provide a simple and inexpensiveumbrella which can be easily and quickly collapsed and folded at anydesired time.

Briefly described, my improved umbrella consists of a two-part rod orstem, one of said parts carrying a handle and an elevatingfurl, whilethe other of said parts carries the radiating ribs and supporting-arms,said ribs being made in two parts to fold one within the other andwithin the supporting-arm.

The detail construction entering into my invention will hereinafter bemore fully described and then specifically claimed.

Referring to the drawings accompanying this application, like numeralsof reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several viewsof the drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improvedumbrella, showing the same in a collapsed position with the coverthereof removed. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the same, partly insection, showing a portion of the umbrella folded. Fig. 3 is a'fragmentary side elevation, partly in section, of my improved umbrella.Fig. 4 is a detached detail perspective view of a coupling used inconnection with the umbrella. Fig. 5 is a detail side elevation of thecoupling, illustrating one of the two-part ribs and the spreaderconnected thereto. Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of the end of oneof the spreaders. Fig. 7 is a similar view of the opposite end of one ofsaid spreaders; and Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view of anelevatingferrule, illustrating a slight modification in the constructionthereof.

To put my invention into practice, I construct my improved umbrella of astem or rod 1, consisting of parts 2 and 3, the part 3 being providedwith a screw-threaded contracted end 4, adapted to engage in a screwthreaded socket 5, formed in the part 2 of the stem. The part 3 isprovided with a suitable handle 6, while the part 2 carries a suitabletip or ferrule 7.

The upper end of the' part 2 is provided with the conventional form ofsleeve 8, hav ing radiating arms or lugs, between which are pivotallymounted the upper ends of a plurality of radiating ribs 9. Each ribconsists of two parts 10 and 11, the part 11 being fixed to a couplingmember 12, which is pivotally connected, as at 14, to the lower end ofthe part 10, this construction permitting of the part 11 being folded inalinement with the part 10.

The coupling 12 (shown in detail in Fig. 4 of the drawin s) ischannel-like in form, being bent at both ends, so as to receive theadjacent ends of sections 10 11 therein, as shown in Fig. 5 of thedrawings, and also to have the outer end of the s readers 19 pivotedthereto, as shown in said *ig. 5.

Slidably mounted upon the part 3 of the stem or rod 1 is a sleeve 15,said sleeve carrying an integral collar 16, consisting of a plurality ofradiating lugs somewhat similar to the sleeve 8, heretofore mentioned.The lower end of the sleeve 15 is provided with a cup-shaped ferrule 17,said ferrule being slidably mounted between the collar 16 and the lowerend of the sleeve 15.

Pivotally connected, as at 18, to the coupling member 12 of each rib isa channelshaped spreader 19, the lower end of each spreader beingprovided with a pivoted retaining-lug 20. The lower end of eachretaining-lug is substantially hook-shaped, as at 21, and the free endsof said lugs are adapted to engage under the collar 16 and be retainedthere by the cup-shaped ferrule 17 The umbrella when in a raisedposition conforms substantially to the ordinary type of umbrella, thisalso being true of the umbrella in a lowered position. WVhen theumbrella is to be folded, the retaining-lugs 20 are removed fromengagement with the collar 16 by lowering the ferrule 17. The parts 11of the ribs 9 are then swung within the channelshaped spreaders 19 ofthe umbrella, and said spreaders, together with the parts 11 of theribs, are swung upwardly into alinement I 10 with the parts of said ribsand the ribs and arms folded inwardly in parallel alinement with thepart 2 of the rod or stem 1. The part 1 of the rod or stem is thendetached from the part 2 and placed alongside thereof. The two parts ofthe umbrella can then be tied together or incased in a suitable bag orreceptacle, as may be desired.

In Fig. 8 of the drawings I have illustrated a sleeve as having aball-socket 16 to receive a ball carried by a spreader 19 The balls 20are retained within their respective sockets by a cup-shaped ferrule17similar to the ferrule 17, heretofore described.

From the foregoing description it will be observed that I have devised anovel form of folding umbrella which can be conveniently manipulated atany desired time the umbrella is to be folded.

Such changes in the construction and manipulation of my improvedumbrella as are permissible by the appended claim may be resorted towithout departing from the scope of the invention.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby LettersPatent, is

In a folding umbrella, a stick, a sleeve fixedly mounted thereon nearthe outer end thereof, a sleeve slidably mounted on the stick, and aferrule slidably mounted on said last-named sleeve, combined withtwo-part ribs pivoted at their inner ends to the fixed sleeve on thestick, a channel-like coupling receiving the adjacent ends of the ribsand in which said ends are pivoted by a common pivot, spreaders ofchannel form having their outer ends pivoted to said couplings, andtheir inner ends pivoted to the sleeve slidably mounted on the stick,and retaining-lugs pivoted in the inner ends of said Spreaders andadapted to be received within said slidable ferrule.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature in the presence of twoWitnesses.

A. M. WILSON, K. H. BUTLER.

